Jason Crow

Mr. CROW

Mr. CROW. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. CROW. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I rise today to offer an amendment supporting an additional $13 million appropriation for the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program, known as the REPI Program. Since 2003, REPI has been tasked with ensuring our military installation readiness by allowing the Department of Defense to enter into cost-sharing partnerships with State and local government to combat encroachment near military installations while simultaneously promoting environmental conservation. The underlying bill appropriates $87 million for this program, which is a slight increase over last year's enacted amount. I am thankful to Chairman Visclosky for his recognition of REPI's successes, which have established it as a model for intragovernmental and private partnerships, but there is still more work to be done to ensure that our military operations are able to proceed unimpeded and our natural habitats are protected. Over the past 15 years, the REPI Program has protected over half a million acres in 33 States by working with Federal, State, and local government entities, private conservation groups, and the military services. These partnerships not only lead to thoughtful encroachment mitigation solutions by expanding the landscape buffer around our military installations, but also result in burden sharing across the stakeholders. Over the life of the program, non-DOD REPI partners have shouldered nearly half of the financial burden of these projects, proving the cost-sharing value of the program. Not too long ago these partnerships were uncommon; however, the successful partnerships created by the REPI Program are lasting, beneficial to all participants, and often foster new arrangements that would not have happened otherwise. In total, the program is making a difference for the military and our installations. In my district, Buckley Air Force Base is a prime example of the significant win-win impact that the REPI Program can have on the installations and the community. By working with partners like the Trust for Public Land and the Colorado Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, the City of Aurora, the REPI Program was able to preserve nearly 300 acres of land. The environmental protection and antiencroachment measures undertaken at Buckley have protected agricultural and recreational lands while ensuring that Buckley Air Force Base has the land required to conduct operations and even grow to meet additional needs for decades to come. Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to support my amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CROW. Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert).

Mr. CROW. Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Visclosky).

Mr. CROW. Madam Chair, I am prepared to close, and I yield myself the balance of my time. Madam Chair, I want to take the opportunity to speak about how the REPI program saves taxpayer dollars, supports military readiness, and preserves our environment. Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to support my amendment for an additional $13 million that is in line with the amount authorized in the NDAA that was marked up last week to ensure its valuable work can benefit more installations and communities. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CROW. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. CROW. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Chair, I rise today to offer an amendment to vastly increase funding for ALS research by $40 million through the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs at the Department of Defense. This is to build on the program's vision to improve treatment and find a cure for this disease, which poses far more questions than answers. In the United States, 15 people are diagnosed with ALS every day, with an estimated 16,000 Americans living with this degenerative disease. Commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease, the average survival time after diagnosis is only 3 years. Although an estimated 10 percent of ALS cases are inherited, more than 90 percent are sporadic, and medical research can't yet determine why. It is further complicated for veterans, as research suggests that there is a mutually inclusive relationship between ALS and military service. In fact, veterans who were deployed during the Gulf war are twice as likely to develop ALS. This disease also hits home for me in many ways. On March 18, our community lost Mike Cimbura to ALS. Mike was, first and foremost, a loving husband and father, but on top of that, he fought ALS ferociously to ensure that ALS will no longer be a hopeless diagnosis. He worked to get right-to-try legislation across the finish line to increase access to experimental treatments that would one day cure this disease. In my own family, we lost our dear cousin, Jeff Van Brunt, to this disease just last year. Jeff would have just celebrated his 40th birthday. He left behind his wonderful wife, Jill, and kids, Megan, William, Sophia, and Mark. In short, this disease knows no stranger, impacting communities and families across the country. This disease continues to take loved ones in our communities too early, and we need to continue to fight for funding to find treatments and a cure. I am extremely grateful to the chairman and his entire team for working to increase funding this year, but I want to be clear that we need to attack this disease more aggressively. It costs between $1 billion and $2 billion to find a treatment for ALS and can take up to 15 years to bring an effective ALS treatment to market. Furthermore, finding a cure would open up a path to finding cures for other diseases, like Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis, and many others. We owe this to our veterans. We owe this to every member of our community who should not have to face this disease without any hope for a cure. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time, and I withdraw the amendment.

Mr. CROW

Mr. CROW. Madam Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. CROW. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Chair, I rise today to offer an amendment supporting an additional $5 million appropriation for Project SERV. Project SERV and programs like it provide mental health resources to students and extend critical support in the wake of tragedies, such as school shootings like the one that took place at STEM School in my district. By increasing funding, we can increase our ability to address the mental health among our precious population: our children. The underlying bill doubles the amount of funding for Project SERV to $10 million. Moreover, additional funding was provided in the disaster supplemental that I was proud to vote for in May. I thank the chairman, ranking member, and the members of the committee for their hard work to ensure that this program is properly funded. With my amendment, I hope that we can continue to scale Project SERV and mental health programs like it so that we can ensure that every student gets the help that they deserve. In the time since the STEM School shooting in my district, I have had the privilege to meet with several students and their families. Their courage and thoughtfulness is unparalleled. We discussed and reflected on ways that we in this body can help students, in a bipartisan manner, to cope with crisis: What can we do? How do we restart the learning process? How do we prevent future tragedies? The common denominators were expanding mental health curriculum in schools; grief counseling; helping students, teachers, administrators, and their families recover. It was something that we came together and found some bipartisan consensus on in the discussions that I have had. Experts can attest shootings and other school tragedies take a terrible toll on our students, causing sleep disorders, anxiety, and even PTS. We need programs like Project SERV. We need to ensure that our children have access to mental health services they need in order to recover, in order to focus on their studies, in order to make sure tragedies like this never happen again. And we need to scale this program and those like it to make sure that this happens at a much larger and national scale. Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to support my amendment, and I yield as much time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro).

Mr. CROW. Madam Chair, I am prepared to close, and I yield myself the balance of my time. Madam Chair, we have an obligation to take care of our students, teachers, and school administrators after horrific tragedies. We must ensure that they can grieve, heal, return to school, and focus on learning and moving forward with their lives, all the while feeling safe doing so. I look forward to working with the distinguished chairwoman, appropriators, and members of the authorizing committee to support Project SERV and programs like it in the months and years ahead. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CROW

Mr. CROW. Madam Speaker, on May 8, 2019, I was unable to be present to cast my vote on the Orange Book Transparency Act (H.R. 1503) and the Purple Book Transparency Act (H.R. 1520). Had I been present for roll calls No. 187 and 188, I would have voted AYE on both.

Mr. CROW

Mr. CROW. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. CROW. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to highlight the continuing work at the Department of Defense to procure renewable energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and make our military more resilient in the face of climate change. The American military is the strongest in the world. It is also the world's biggest consumer of energy. In 2017, our Armed Forces consumed over 85 million barrels of fuel to power ships, aircraft, combat vehicles, and bases. As a combat veteran, I know firsthand that our reliance on fossil fuels at home and on the battlefield makes us very vulnerable. Moreover, current and former DOD civilian and military leaders have argued that climate change presents a rising threat to our force readiness and has exposed vulnerabilities of critical operations. They have argued that climate change is an urgent national security threat, and I agree. Warming oceans lead to higher tides, putting our Nation's critical infrastructure at risk. Severe weather has already wrought havoc on military assets, including Tyndall Air Force Base, which will likely require $5 billion in repairs after Hurricane Michael. Climate change is already causing mass migrations that affect the stability of nations and will put our national security and that of our allies at risk. The purpose of my amendment is to make the DOD's contributions to the government sustainability efforts a part of the conversation surrounding H.R. 9. And the DOD's accomplishments should be lauded: the DOD has invested heavily in microgrids, renewable energy resources, and fuel-efficient vehicles. Additionally, last year's NDAA required the military to build on its obligations to address climate change by incorporating energy and climate resiliency efforts into its installation and operational planning. The DOD has done a lot so far and is a model for the rest of the U.S. Government, but there is more to be done. Going forward, we have a unique opportunity to support sustainable policies, while also securing our bases, saving taxpayer money, and protecting the environment. One of the best examples is Fort Hood, Texas. Fort Hood has invested in technology to harness renewable energy and ensure that power is being efficiently managed. It is estimated that the combination of microgrids and renewable energy will save Fort Hood $100 million in energy costs. It is also hardened against potential vulnerabilities in the electrical grid, which is a win for our security. We must scale smart, practical solutions, like those at the DOD, to make our force more resilient, agile, and efficient. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to support my amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield 30 seconds to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel), the chairman.

Mr. CROW. Mr. Chairman, simply put, the Federal Government cannot meet its obligations under the Paris Agreement without DOD's past, ongoing, and future contributions to this effort. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to recognize this fact and support my amendment. This is very simple. This is an opportunity for a win-win-win, which is often hard to come by these days, but this is good for the American taxpayers. It will save us hundreds of millions, if not billions, of dollars by promoting these efforts and increasing energy resiliency and efficiency. It is a win for our national security, because it is one of our largest vulnerabilities. Our bases are subject to cyberattack and are very vulnerable to continuity decreases in our operations. And it is a win for the environment. This is something that we have to do and that we have an obligation to do in support of our national security. Mr. Chairman, again, I urge everyone to join in supporting this amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CROW

Mr. CROW. Madam Speaker, it is with great honor I recognize the accomplishments of Amara Martin, whom The Chamber of Northwest Douglas County is honoring as a ``Woman Who Soars.'' Ms. Martin is the Executive Director of Dress for Success Denver, an organization that aims to empower women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire, and the development tools to thrive in work and in life. Poverty often affects women the most, and its effects on them and their families can be long-lasting. One hundred percent of Dress for Success clients lived under the poverty level before coming to them. Under Ms. Martin's guidance, Dress for Success has grown beyond addressing women's needs and recognizing the significant role women play in economic development. They not only improve the quality of life for not only that woman, but also her family, future generations, and her community. In 2017, 85 percent of the graduates of their Going Places Network program secured employment. Their other programs provide employed clients with support, information, and inspiration to move forward with their career development, and over 600 women utilized the Career Center program that offers one-on-one meetings with executive coaches. Both a leader and an asset to her organization and to the community, she truly is deserving of such an honor. I congratulate Ms. Martin for receiving the recognition as a ``Woman Who Soars.''

Mr. CROW

Mr. CROW. Madam Speaker, it is my honor today to recognize the accomplishments of Ms. Susan Hicks, MN, RN, who will be honored by the Chamber of Northwest Douglas County as a ``Woman Who Soars.'' Ms. Hicks has been an integral member of the Sky Ridge Medical Center in Lone Tree, serving as a part of their Executive Team since its opening in 2003. Her experience as a nurse for over 30 years brought fresh perspectives to the Sky Ridge team that were instrumental in transforming Sky Ridge into a destination facility for care. Due to her hard work and dedication, she was promoted from her role of Chief Operating Officer to Chief Executive Officer in August of 2014. She currently serves as a board member of both the Denver South Economic Development Partnership and the Colorado Hospital Association. She is a past board member of the HCA Hope Fund and First Commercial Bank as well as a graduate of Leadership Douglas County. Through her leadership positions, Susan has had an incredibly positive impact on the community. Her success in the corporate health care field has inspired many other women in the Chamber and Economic Development circles in the community. A major contributor and inspiration to the community, I can think of only a few others deserving of this honor, and I congratulate Ms. Hicks for receiving the recognition as a ``Woman Who Soars.''

Mr. CROW

Mr. CROW. Madam Speaker, it is my honor today to recognize the achievements of Mrs. Gracie Parrish, who is being honored by The Chamber of Northwest Douglas County as a ``Woman Who Soars.'' On December 31, 2017, Gracie was startled awake by `The Knock,' the nightmare of every law enforcement family member. Deputies proceeded to tell her that 29-year-old Deputy Zack Parrish, her husband of 8\1/2\ years and father to their 4-year-old Caroline and 18-month-old Everly, had been killed in the line of duty. Upon reflecting on her journey as a police officer's wife, she recognized the need for brotherhood and sisterhood among those who are directly affiliated with the law enforcement community. This led her to start The Shelter Foundation, a non-profit organization to guide and assist the families of law enforcement officers through the trials often associated with a law enforcement career. The foundation provides education to officers and their families, a protected and positive forum for social support, and a place for officers and their families to foster friendships and find community through like-minded social events and consistent connection. They firmly believe the best time to build a firm foundation is before tragedy strikes; however, if tragedy becomes reality, they will stand with those families. Described as a pillar of strength for inspiring others with her courage, poise and perseverance, there are few others deserving of such an honor. I congratulate Mrs. Parrish for receiving recognition as a ``Woman Who Soars.''

Mr. CROW

Mr. CROW. Madam Speaker, pursuant to clause 1, rule I, I demand a vote on agreeing to the Speaker's approval of the Journal.

Mr. CROW. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. CROW

Mr. CROW. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate Douglas County, Colorado, being named the healthiest community in the United States by U.S. News and World Report. With all due respect to all of my colleagues in this body, there is no State like Colorado. We are home to 300 days of sunshine, the Rocky Mountains, and the best breweries and skiing in the country. And it should be no surprise that it helped make us the seventh fastest growing State in the country. But this year we have added another accomplishment to our list: community health. With seven of America's top 25 healthiest communities in Colorado, Douglas County tops that list. Home to countless walking trails, community-building events, 63,000 acres of protected land, and innovative infrastructure, Douglas County is truly a great place to live. Mr. Speaker, I welcome my colleagues to Douglas County and the rest of our incredible district to see for themselves what makes The Centennial State so great.

Mr. CROW

Mr. CROW. Madam Chair, I claim the time in opposition.

Mr. CROW. Madam Chairwoman, I rise today in opposition to the amendment. This amendment would strike a critical provision of H.R. 1 that cracks down on organizations that are flooding our elections with dark money. In the 2018 cycle, $150 million was spent by groups that did not have to disclose their donors. Voters had no idea who was spending this money to influence their vote. What it does is create a system in Washington that leaves elected officials beholden to mega-donors, rather than the needs of their constituents. This is a direct threat to our democracy, and it is coming from within this Chamber. This is a problem that is only getting worse. Since Citizens United, dark money spending has gone up by more than 8,000 percent. Part of the problem is the law isn't being enforced. Some so-called social welfare organizations are devoting too much of their time to political activity, yet they are allowed a tax-exempt status and don't have to disclose their donors. And the IRS can't do anything about it. We must allow the IRS to move forward on the 2013 rule to define acceptable levels of political activity by these organizations. This will create a clear standard. If a group violates this standard, and it fails to adhere to its social welfare mission, then it should lose its tax-exempt status, and it should register as a PAC. If you are going to spend millions of dollars to influence someone's vote, then you better have the courage to stand behind your words. Instead, mega-donors have taken advantage of a loophole that allows them to donate to a tax-exempt welfare organization while hiding their identity. All Americans should care about the abuse of social welfare organizations. It undermines the sanctity of so many other valuable and necessary organizations. Let's be clear about what is happening here. This amendment serves one purpose: to hide mega-donor support for campaigns. Let's pull back the curtain and let Americans see who is really behind those negative ads. Madam Chairwoman, I reserve the remainder of my time.

Mr. CROW. Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lofgren).

Mr. CROW. Madam Chair, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Sarbanes).

Mr. CROW. Madam Chair, how much time is remaining?